Knightly Naps and Elven Laughter

Chapter Five: coming of end

"Here is the rest of the money. And again, we are really sorry for the damages- and they are gone"

The people who owned the theater slammed the door shut as they left with a bag of money that I gave them.

2 days ago, when the witch appeared, the theater got heavily damaged. The roof was broken, the stage was utterly crumbled and the rest of the theater's walls were cracked. At the time it completely escaped my mind, but we merely borrowed the theater. So when the owners did come back yesterday, uhm, let's just say that they weren't very happy.

And because of that I had to give them a whopping 80% of the money that we made. Since I sold each ticket for 6500 emrals each, with a total seating capacity of 750 (we initially had more but had to remove the first row of seats to make a little more space for the performance); we were able to make 4,875,000 emrals, from which 60,000 on the costumes, 150,000 on the environment and effects, 390,000 on the hired actors and other staff, and then I had to give 80%, 3,900,000, to the owners of the theater, and yet another 180,000 back to the bank due to the loan. Even still after all of this I was left with 405,000, which is more than enough to last a few months.

I went to Iikorin who was knitting a pink sweater on the couch for some reason and handed her a cloth pouch containing 80,000 emrals. She looked at me all puzzled then took the pouch and opened it, only to make an even more puzzled face.

"Hmm why are you giving me the money, Chyunchyun?"

"Isn't it obvious? I am giving this so you can buy that hat for which I had to go through all this trouble. Did you really forget about it after everything?"

She then made an even more puzzled face as though she was struck with the most perplexing scientific problem of all time.

"Oh, I thought you still wouldn't let me buy it. Alright so see you lateeeer!"

She instantly rose up from the couch and went for the door, leaving behind the sweater. The sight of the sweater falling down from her hands onto the comfortable surface of the couch, crumbling on contact, reminded me of a certain memory which I do not want to live again.

"Wait Iikorin! I am coming too!"

I also dashed out the door with Iikorin.

∆ ∆ ∆ ∆

The thing I remembered was none other than the fact that the witch could disguise herself and blend in with the townsfolk. That's why I tagged along with Iikorin to protect her as she buys the hat she wants, and I also want to tell her about my decision regarding the princess. I needed to find some time alone with her to tell her, the last 2 days were really busy as I evaded tax collectors and dealt with the raged owners of the theatre so I couldn't find any time to discuss the situation at all. However, I don't think I can bring the topic up right now as we are squeezing our way through a heavily crowded street market with multiple stalls selling numerous goods from all categories. I have been in this place before, though I fail to remember it being this packed with people back then. Why is it so crowded today?

Before I knew it, I had lost Iikorin, or more precisely, I was lost in the crowd. The place is jam-packed with people and I am in the crowd somewhere. I can't see anything, only people's backs. Now I am not that concerned about myself, for I can effortlessly get out. It's about that tiny elf, what if she gets lost? She is so fragile she might get crushed in this overcrowded place, or maybe I am overthinking. Will I have to search for her in the crowd now?

As I was perplexed and helplessly stood in the middle, a hand reached out of nowhere and held mine. I followed the lead of the hand for some reason that even I do not realize. The soft and creamy hand somehow made me feel unnaturally safe, a feeling I haven't felt in a really long time since I left my mother's home. I couldn't see whose delicate hand it is in this crowd, yet I followed. Before I knew it, we were in a less denser area.